Fading Away Hetalia
by LeesaCrakon
Summary: After the death of a loved one, America is fading away, and it hurts. He hides his pain from the other nations, not wanting them to think he is weak, to think that he isn't a hero. Can someone find out and help America before it's too late? (I do not own anything except my version of the States) WARNING! Contains: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, torture, and hinted rape
1. Intro

_America's POV:_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _All the other nations think I'm so obnoxious, so annoying. They dismiss my ideas at world meetings every. Single. Time. They make fun of me constantly, and even Canada,_ _my little brother,_ _is starting to pick on me. He called me a fat ass, even though he knew about my anorexia in the past. So, I've stopped eating again. Big deal. It's not like anybody cares. I don't hate any of them though, not even Russia, but it seems like they all hate me. On top of it all, my depression is getting worse. I started cutting again a while back, just like I did during the Great Depression and after 9/11. More of the teens in my country have it, and it's affecting me. I still haven't told anyone yet. Not even England, and I don't plan to do so. Everything in my country is so wrong! All the shootings, the depression, the bullying, the illnesses, the stupid politics, abortion, racial inequality, child and animal abuse, sexual harassment...the list goes on. I know I'm going to start fading soon. I think I already am. I'm afraid, to be honest. Does it hurt? Will it take long? But these questions are pointless. When it happens, it happens. There's nothing I can do about it. But I will NOT tell anyone. I don't need everyone to think I'm weak along with everything else that's [beep]ing wrong with me. And I can't help but wonder...would any of them really, truly miss me if I faded? As I write this, with tears in my eyes, I can already answer that question. I know they won't. I would be an idiot if I thought any of them would. They all hate me._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Alfred F. Jones (America)_

 _Story Theme Song_


	2. I

America's POV:

Tears trailed down my cheeks as I closed my journal, its pages and binding worn from constant use. I slid the dull razor I had been using underneath my pillow and began mopping up the blood on my arm with a discarded towel. I knew my fading was coming soon, otherwise I wouldn't be acting like this. I was afraid; I didn't want to die. But there was nothing I could do. My country was too corrupt to be saved. Sighing, I stood up and straightened the army jacket I always wore. I needed to make myself at least a little presentable for the world meeting. A slight smile tried to tug at my lips, but it quickly disappeared.

"Sir, you're going to be late if you don't hurry up!" Lithuania called. I cursed under my breath and shoved the towel under my bed. I tugged on my shoes and fixed my hair as best as I could. Making sure that my scars and new cuts were covered by my jacket sleeves, I put on a fake smile and bounded out of my room, giving my surprised housekeeper a clap on the back.

"Hey, dude! What's up?" I said cheerfully, beaming. Lithuania smiled slightly at my unwavering cheerfulness and confidence. I only wished that it were real. Before I left, I peeked my head into each of the states' rooms. They were all still fast asleep. Tears threatened to spill once again when I realized that if and when I faded, these guys would be left alone to fend for themselves. They would break apart and fight like they had in the Civil War. I shuddered at the thought.

"Big brother!" little Rhode Island said as I came into his room. He and his brother Alaska were doing a puzzle together. Alaska's violet eyes were narrowed in concentration as he tried to but the pieces together, his snow-white hair falling in front of his face, covering his left eye. He looked so much like his real brother, Russia, that he scared me sometimes! Rhode Island, on the other hand, looked almost exactly like Canada and I. His light brown hair was styled in a tousled cowlick and his radiant blue eyes shone under his half-moon glasses. Unlike his other 49 siblings, he was small and frail like Canada, and he didn't seem to be growing fast enough. I always worried about him.

"I have to go guys. I've left Delaware in charge, so behave. Alaska, no sled dog races this time. Especially in the house. Okay?" Alaska sighed dejectedly and nodded, making me smile slightly. As I turned to leave, I felt a tug on my sleeve. Turning, I saw Rhode Island looking up at me with his big blue eyes. I knelt down in front of him to see they they were wet with tears.

"What is it, Rhode Island?" I asked quietly, wiping the tears from his face. He pulled on my sleeve until I followed him into the hallway and closed the door behind me. He sniffed and wrapped his arms around my right leg as he cried, looking up at me.

"Please take me and Alaska with you! All the other states ignore us and never want to play with us! Please, big brother?" Rhode Island pleaded, looking at me with wide eyes. I hesitated. The world meetings were no place for the states! But then I sighed and nodded. Rhode Island grinned and hugged me before running to get his brother. When we were finally read to go, Rhode Island and Alaska stood on either side of me, gripping my hands tightly.

"Ready to go?" I asked, and they both nodded eagerly. 

The meeting hall, which had been filled with the sound of yelling and bickering, fell silent as I walked in with Rhode Island and Alaska. The other Nations stared at us with such intensity that Rhode Island grabbed my leg again, his face paling. Canada stood up from the large, oak table and hurried to my side, shifting in and out of visibility.

"Why'd you bring them here?! You know how the others get when they're around kids!" Canada growled, shoving me back a little. Pretending to not notice him, I gripped Alaska and Rhode Island's hands tighter and took my usual spot between Canada and Mexico at the table. Canada slumped back into his seat, refusing to even glance at me.

"Why is big brother Canada being mean?" Alaska asked innocently, curiously. I simply shrugged. I had no idea why either. Maybe I should ask him after the meeting. There's got to be a reason, right? I shook my head to clear my thoughts and looked up at China, who was speaking.

"As you all know, we are here to discuss the terrorist group ISIS. The group has already bombed numerous places including Paris, which is why France isn't here today." He paused for a moment and gestured at France's empty seat before continuing. "It has been discovered ISIS plans to attack London, and then New York City," he said, glancing at England and me. My stomach lurched and I put my head in my hands. England was pale and shaking, drops of cold sweat beading on his forehead. The last thing my country needed was another terrorist attack! Memories of 9/11 flashed before my eyes as I remembered how much it almost destroyed my country. I couldn't begin to imagine what would happen if I was attacked now!

"In our last meeting, America suggested that we-"

"No! I refuse for my country to be bombed and result in the death of innocents because a few ISIS members might be in my borders!" Syria roared, his body trembling with rage as he stood. His dark eyes stared at me with absolute malice and hate. I looked down at my feet, too ashamed to look the angry country in the eye. I felt the disapproving glares of the other nations and I shrank back into my seat.

"Hey, we all know America doesn't think before he speaks!" Germany chuckled, resting his boots on the table. My fists clenched and I stood up, trembling with rage.

"Oh, so my ideas are stupid, huh?!" I snapped, glaring at the blonde. With a smirk playing on his thin lips, he nodded. I fought tears and sat back down, staring blankly at the table. Rhode Island hugged me, but it only made me feel worse. The meeting continued as normal, with the occasional bickering and insults, most of them thrown at me. Rhode Island and Alaska huddled together behind my chair, covering their ears. The meeting resulted in a few broken noses and more conflicts than what we started with.

"Everyone is being so stupid!" Alaska yelled when we were outside the meeting hall and starting towards home. I snorted, patting him on the back.

"Tell me about it! The Nations can't decide on anything!" I sighed unhappily, thinking about how unified we _used_ to be. I felt a tug on my sleeve and looked down to see Alaska, his eyes wide with fear.

"Somebody is following us!" he said in a loud whisper, gesturing behind him with his thumb. I saw four figures advancing towards us slowly. They all held some sort club in their hands, and they didn't look afraid to use them!

"Alaska, Rhode Island, get ready to run when I tell you to."

"America-"

"Shut up, Rhode Island! Run, now!" I growled. With tears streaming down his face, Rhode Island grabbed Alaska's hand and they ran as fast as they could. One of the men rushed past me and ran after them. Alaska screamed as the man grabbed him by the hair, yanking him to his knees. Rhode Island managed to escape.

"Alaska, no!" I screamed, running forward. Two more of the men grabbed me from behind and forced me to my knees as well. The tallest of them knelt down in front of me, gripping me by my hair and pulling my head back. I grimaced, trying not to cry out. The man pulled off his mask, revealing tanned skin, dark eyes, and curly black hair.

"Syria," I snarled, trying to wrench out of the Asian country's grip. Syria merely chuckled and gestured for the three other men, including the person holding Alaska, to come closer. Russia's face came into view as he dragged Alaska in front of me. His face was expressionless, but his eyes portrayed his real feelings. They glared at me with a mixture of hate and sympathy.

"Alfred, I'm scared," Alaska whispered, tears rolling down his face. I opened my mouth to reply when Syria stepped between us.

"Shut up!" Syria hissed, slapping Alaska.

"No! Leave him alone!" I gasped, struggling in the other man's grip. Syria laughed harshly and hefted his club, slowly walking towards Alaska. The man holding me wrapped his arms around my waist tighter as I tried to stand and run forward.

"America, stop struggling!" the voice hissed in my ear. My eyes widened as I recognized it.

"C-Canada?!" I gasped, twisting around to face my brother. He smirked at me and forced my head back towards Alaska. The forth man was nowhere to be seen. Tears sprang up in my eyes as Syria lifted his club above his head, his eyes gleaming with cruel pleasure. He turned his face towards me for a moment.

"This is what happens when you mess with Syria!" he laughed cruelly. The club came down with a sickening crack on Alaska's back. Alaska screamed in pain and Russia thrust him to the ground. He struggled to stand, but collasped again. Syria's club rose again and again, striking Alaska over and over. His sobs slowly turned to tortured screams until he finally lost conciousness, lying limply on the ground.

"Until we meet again, America," Syria said. Canada let go of me and followed Russia and Syria, kicking Alaska as he went. I scooped up Alaska's broken and bloodied body in my arms, tears dripping off of the edge of my pointed nose. A pool of blood had already begun to form around the young state, and my arms were soaked with it.

"Do you hear me, Syria?! Do you hear me, Canada?! Do you hear me, Russia?! If Alaska dies, I will track you down, to the ends of the earth if I have to, and I. Will. Kill. You!"


	3. II

Canada's POV:

"Kuma, I'm home!" I said, calling out to my pet polar bear. Kuma lumbered out into the entryway, looking up at me with his tiny black eyes. I smiled and knelt down, petting his soft fur affectionately.

"Who are you?" he questioned softly. My shoulders slumped and I sighed dejectedly, shaking my head. What was the use of telling Kuma my name again? He would just forget it after a few seconds, anyway. I flopped onto the couch and cracked open a can of soda. The events of this afternoon played over and over again in my mind, and I smirked. I had relished the look of pain on America's face as I had held him back. Akaska's screams filled my ears,and I grinned wickedly.

"That's what you get for forgetting your own brother," I whispered hoarsely before taking another swig of the soda. My cellphone began to ring and I sighed, reaching to pick it up. I winced when I saw that it was my boss. What did that jerk want now?! Sighing, I answered.

"Canada, did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Help Syria, you idiot!" I winced at the sudden anger in my boss' voice and I held tbe phone a little farther from my ear.

"N-no, boss. I swear I didn't," I said, swallowing back my fear. My boss sighed and hung up abruptly. Shrugging, I put down my phone and got up, walking into the bathroom. I froze when I passed by the mirror. I glared at my frail, pitiful reflection, tears beginning to spill. I was a nobody, a misfit, and now I was a monster. I had hurt innocent people just so I could get revenge. Alaska's screams echoed through my head again, but they no longer gave me satisfaction.

"Y-you're [beep]ing _pathetic_ , you k-know that?! S-stupid and s _-selfish_ and _emotionally_ _stunted_! No wonder e-everyone forgets you, you worthless. Piece. Of. [BEEP]!" I screamed. I glared at my reflection, clutching the sink so hard that my knuckles turned white. I began to tremble and I bowed my head. Tears rolled down my cheeks like rain and sobs shook my entire body. I fell to my knees, burying my head in my hands.

"M-my razor. W-where's my razor?" I sobbed, searching through the cupboard underneath the sink. Finally spotting it, I grabbed it and tore off my shirt, readying the blade over my arms, already covered in scars from past times I had hurt myself. They were all because I wanted to distract myself from the pain of being forgotten and ignored by those who should be the ones who loved and cared about me. Now, it was because I deserved it.

"Worthless. Peice. Of. [Beep]," I said, making long, deep cuts on my right arm. I moved on to my left, more insults crowding my mind. When I was done, I had 10 new cuts on both of my arms. I chuckled slightly at the amount of blood flowing onto the floor. I deserved it. I deserved _all of it._

America's POV:  
I paced up and down the halls of the hospital, running my fingers through my hair worryingly. England and Lithuania, who'd driven Alaska and I to the hospital, had tried to get me to calm down. It was no use, though. After what seemed like an eternity, a nurse finally came into the waiting room, holding a clipboard.

"Arthur Kirkland, Alfred F. Jones, and Toris Laurinaitis?" she said, looking at the three of us. England and Lithuania shot out of their seats and stood next to me.

"That's us. Is Viktor going to be alright?" I asked anxiously. It felt strange to use Alaska's human name, but it couldn't be helped. The nurse nodded, smiling kindly. "Now, if you'll come with me, Viktor wants to see you," she replied, turning and leaving the waiting room. I beamed at England and Lithuania before dashing down the hallway after the nurse.

"Alfie!" Alaska croaked happily when I came into the room. I smiled and sat on the edge of the bed. The nurses, England, and Lithuania stayed outside and closed the door so that we could talk in private. When they were gone, I burst into tears and hugged Alaska's frail body close.

"I-I'm so sorry, Alaska. This is all my fault. If I wasn't such a retarted-"

"Don't you dare call yourself that, America! This isn't your fault!" Alaska said wildly, wrapping his tiny arms around me as much as he could. "You're the best big brother ever, and I know you don't _want_ to hurt Syria with the bomb. You just want to keep everyone safe!" he added, looking me in the eyes. I shook my head. Alaska was wrong. All of this was my fault, whether he liked the fact or not. I kissed him on the cheek and stood up to leave.

"A-America?"

"Yeah?"

"After everyone else visits me, can you stay? Please don't leave me alone. This place is so big and scary, and I'm so small. It's so scary here," Alaska begged, tears shining in his eyes. I bit my lip to keep from crying harder. Those were almost the exact words I had said to England when he had to leave me for business once. It was when I was still really small. But, he hadn't stayed, or even taken me with him. He'd left me all alone.

"Of course I will, Alaska."


	4. III

America's POV:

"I-It hurts!" Alaska sobbed, clutching my shirt tightly as he buried his face in my chest, his body shaking with sobs. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I clutched Alaska tightly. Doctors tried to pull me away from him, but I refused to be moved. They warned me, told me to leave. But I didn't listen. Alaska's breathing began to shallow, and his grip on me loosened.

"Viktor, stay with me! Don't close your eyes!" I said desperately, shaking Alaska in an attempt to keep him concious.

"I-I can't. It hurts to stay awake. I want it to go away," Alaska said softly, the color beginning to drain from his face. Waves of pain crashed down on me as the small state laid dying, but I gritted my teeth and continued to shake Alaska. The pain intensified and I began to sob uncontrolably.

"Viktor. Viktor!" I screamed. Alaska looked up at me with a tear stained face, smiling weakly at me. The moniter beside his bed showed that his heartbeat was decreasing. _Bum...Bum...Bum...Bum...Bum._

"I love you, Alfred," Alaska said weakly, his eyes beginning to flutter closed. His tiny body fell limp in my arms and a loud beep sounded from the moniter. The once active line was straight and unmoving. I stared at Alaska's dead body in my arms. The pain in my own body died away until there was nothing left. Alaska was gone. I sat there in the hospital bed, clutching him tightly to my chest. I rocked back and forth. My eyes were wide and unblinking, shock replacing my fear. Alaska was really gone.

"Alfred. Alfred, we have to go. The doctors are coming to get him soon," England said quietly, entering the room and putting a hand on my shoulder. I shook my head.

"Why? He's just sleeping. He'll wake up soon. I want to be here when he wakes up," I said softly, lying to myself in order to ease the pain of loss. England had told me that it hurt to lose those you loved. He never told me just how much.

"Alfred. Please," England whispered. He turned to look at him. His green eyes were filled with tears as he looked down at me, his eyebrows furrowed with concern. Two nurses came in with a stretcher, their masks and gloves intact. The larger one of the two gently tried to pry Alaska out of my arms.

"N-no St-stay away!" I stammered, clutching Alaska tighter. The nurse used more force until he finally pried Alaska out of my arms. I put my head in my hands, sobbing as Alaska was carried away. England sat next to me on the bed, wrapping his arms around me and crying softly onto my shoulder.

"He's gone! I-I can't believe he's gone!" I sobbed, burying my face in England's chest. England swallowed and opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He tried again.

"It's okay, Alfred. W-we need to keep our heads held high. V-Viktor wouldn't have wanted us to be upse-"

"Viktor isn't here now! He's gone, and it's...it's my fault." My voice cracked and I pulled away from England. Pulling my coat back on, I stormed out of the hospital room. Tears streamed down my face as I burst out of the hospital doors. The rain was pouring down, drenching me within minutes. I screamed at the sky in frustration and grief, my body shaking with sobs.

Squeezing my eyes shut, images of Canada, Russia, and Syria attacking Alaska and I forced their way into my mind. Anger replaced my grief and I clenched my fists tightly to my sides. I made a silent promise to myself that night.

They were all going to pay, and nothing would stop me.


	5. IV

America's POV:

"America! America, are you okay?!" Rhode Island screeched when Lithuania and I entered my home, our faces solemn. Rhode Island looked up at me questioningly, his head slightly tilted to the side. I tried to smile at him, but I couldn't. It was too hard.

"Where's Alaska?" he asked quietly. He peeked around behind me, as if he expected Alaska to be hiding there. I bit my lip and resisted the urge to cry, getting on my knees so that I was level with Rhode Island's vision.

"He's gone. He died in the hospital," I said quietly. Rhode Island shook his head, tears beginning to stream down his face. I tried to hug him but he wrenched away.

"Y-you're lying! Alaska can't be dead! You're lying!" he sobbed, running off to his room. I started to go after him, but Lithuania placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. He shook his head slowly.

"Just...just give him some time," he said softly, giving me a small smile. I swallowed and nodded, wiping my eyes on my sleeve. Lithuania squeezed my shoulder and went into the kitchen to start cooking dinner. Shakily, I made my way to my room and collapsed onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling. Tears welled up in my eyes and spilled down my cheeks, dampening my sheets. My body shook as I began to sob quietly, gripping my blankets tightly in my hands.

"America?" a voice said softly. I sat bolt upright, staring at the doorway. Delaware gazed back at me blankly, his young face filled with grief, making him look older.

"Is it true? Is Alaska..." the oldest state's voice broke and he looked down at his feet, his brown hair falling in front of his face. I nodded, also looking down at my feet. Delaware gritted his teeth and buried his head in his hands. Tears leaked through his fingers and fell to the floor.

"I was a terrible older brother. I was so awful to him, just because he was different. We all were," Delaware said softly, still not looking up at me. My eyes widened in shock and I jumped up, wrapping my arms around my younger brother, hugging him close. Delaware hugged me back, resting his head on my shoulder.

"Who did it? Who killed him?!" Delaware growled, his grip on me tightening. He looked up at me, a determined and loathing glint in his eyes. I flinched, not wanting to tell him, but I knew it couldn't be helped.

"Syria, Russia, and...and...Canada," I said, biting my lip. The anger in Delaware's eyes quickly changed to shock, then horror, and back to anger again. He wrenched out of my grip, sprinting out of the room and towards the front door.

"Delaware! Delaware, wait!" I shouted, running after him. He flung the door open and ran out into the rainy night, nearly slipping on the concrete steps as he went. I ran after him, chasing him as he sprinted down the streets. He began to slow down and then fell to his hands and knees, sobbing.

I stood silently, keeping my distance from the distraught state. Turning around, I ran back into the house, tears streaming down my face. I went into my room and slammed the door shut, locking it. I reached under my pillow and grabbed my razor, my knuckles white as I gripped it tightly. I had failed too many times, and I couldn't stand it anymore!

Making a few cuts in my forearms first, I lowered the blade toward my wrist. Taking a slow breath, I made deep, ragged slices in my wrists. Blood seeped out of my wounds, pooling around me. My vision began to fade slightly, black framing it. I collapsed to the ground, my conciousness slowly leaving me. Just before I passed out, I saw that I was flickering in and out of view. I was fading. I smiled softly and closed my eyes. It was finally over. No more pain. No more suffering. No more insults from people who should've been caring about me. Finally, I would have peace.


	6. V

Delaware's POV:  
I entered the house again sopping wet and still crying a little. Here I was, 228 years old (Or 18, in human years), and I was crying my eyes out. Wiping the water out of my eyes, I sighed softly and made my way towards my bedroom. As I passed by America's room, the sharp smell of fresh blood filled my nostrils, making me gag. My eyes widened and I tried to open the door, but it was locked.

"America, are you in there?! Answer me!" I yelled, pounding on the door. No answer came, put I heard the sound of ragged, labored breathing. I backed up and then ran at the door, slamming into it. The strong wooden door didn't even shudder. I fought back a scream of frustration and ran into the kitchen.

"L-Lithuania! Get the keys, America needs help!" I said, grabbing the nation by the wrist. His brow furrowed, but he grabbed the keys off of the table and followed me out. His nose wrinkled as he caught a whiff of the fresh blood. His hands trembled as he unlocked the door and swung it open. America laid curled up on the floor, his face devoid of color. Blood seeped into the carpet around him from cuts in his wrists and arms.

"Call an ambulance! Quickly!" I said, looking wildly at Lithuania. He nodded and backed slowly out of the room, his eyes never leaving America's lifeless form. I knelt down beside my big brother, cradling his head in my arms. His breathing was so shallow that it almost looked like he wasn't breathing at all.

"Why, Alfie? Why would you do something like this?" I whispered softly, tears running down my face.

"Please. Please be alright. We may not act like it, but we all need you Alfie. You keep us all together. You make us a real family," I said, my lip trembling. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a small, worn notebook jutting out of America's jacket pocket. I gingerly set his head down and took the notebook. It was his journal.

 _ *** * ***_ Canada's POV:  
I paced up and down the white halls of the hospital, running my fingers through my hair anxiously. Delaware was glaring at me, his fingernails digging into the armrests of the waiting room chairs. His eyes turned back to the leather book he had been reading. A nurse entered the room.

"Arthur Kirkland, Matthew Williams, and Daniel Smith," she said, looking around the waiting room.

The three of us got to our feet and followed her into America's hospital room. I froze when I saw America's pale form lying on the bed. He was conscious, but just barely. I stayed back as Delaware and England knelt down beside him. Tears were in their eyes. Why couldn't **_I_** cry?! I knelt down next to Delaware, brushing the strands of hair from America's sweaty face. He flinched away from my touch, growling.

"W-why are you here?" he said huskily, turning his head away from me. I opened my mouth to answer, but no sound came out. I could see the scars and new cuts on America's arms and chest through the thin hospital gown that he wore. I couldn't believe that America, the happy-go lucky nation, would do things like this to himself.

"I wanted to see if you were alright," I said softly, my eyes glancing down at my hands. America glared at me. England, who was obviously oblivious to the whole situation, stared blankly at the two of us.

"Why? Why would you care?! You didn't care about Alaska!" America snapped.

"Shut up!" I snapped back, getting to my feet. America raised an eyebrow at me but remained silent.

"Do you really want to know why I care?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest. America nodded, sitting up a little. I glanced at England and Delaware nervously, trying to give them a hint, but they obviously weren't leaving. I uncrossed my arms and hesitantly rolled up my sleeves.

America's POV:  
My eyes widened as Canada rolled up his sleeves to reveal the scars covering his arms. The words "worthless", "pathetic", "forgotten", and "unloved" were carved into them along with random cuts that covered almost every inch of his skin. England stood up slowly, staring blankly at my brother.

"That's why," Canada said, rolling his sleeves back down. I didn't know what to say. How long had this been going on? From the amount of scars he had, it had to at least been a few years. Almost just as long as I had. **_Why_** had he done it? I was afraid to ask. But no matter how sad I felt, I still couldn't forgive him for what he'd done.


	7. VI

_A Week Later~_  
America's POV:  
I blinked rapidly as rays of sunlight shone down on me, temporarily blinding me. After letting my eyes adjust, I looked around at my surroundings. The hospital parking lot was jam-packed with cars, leaving barely any pavement showing. There was a slight warm breeze blowing in my face and a small smile tugged at my lips. I closed my eyes and sighed as the wind ruffled my hair slightly. A handly lightly tapped my shoulder and I turned to see England standing behind me with Canada.

The car is this way America," England said softly, squeezing my shoulder tightly. I nodded in a sort of daze and followed my father and little brother to the car. Canada sat next to me in the back, taking my hand in his comfortingly.

"You glad to be out of there?" he asked. Chuckling, I nodded and sighed.

"It was like living in hell. People kept staring at me all the time, pitying me and being sympathetic. I _hate_ sympathy," I growled, my hands clenching tightly. Canada slipped his hand out of my grip and hugged me, burying his head in my shoulder.

"I'm so sorry America. For everything. I-If I hadn't..." Canada's voice broke and he began to sob, hugging me tighter. My eyes widened in shock as my little brother cried onto my shoulder, his body trembling with sobs. I wrapped my arms around him and rested my head on top of his.

"Canada, it's alright. I forgive you, ok? Please stop crying," I said softly. I didn't mean it, but I still hated seeing him cry. I could see England's grip on the steering wheel tighten as he heard my words, his face scrunching as he tried to calm himself down. Canada screamed in frustration and ripped himself out of my grip, leaning his head against his seat and putting his hands over his face.

"No, it's not alright America. I helped _murder_ our little brother because I was angry at you! Alaska had nothing to do with you always forgetting me, but I stood by and watched him get hurt. And...and then I get a c-call that you tried to kill yourself. Now look me in the eye and _tell me_ it's not my fault," Canada said, turning back to me and glaring.

I grabbed my little brother by the shoulders, looked him in the eye and said, "This was _not_ your fault. True, I still haven't forgiven you about Alaska, but I wanted to die because of other reasons. I promise." Canada wiped his eyes and nodded, but I could tell he still didn't believe me.

"We're here," England said hoarsely as he pulled into the driveway of my bome. I got out and closed the car door behind me. Canada and England got out too and followed me inside.

"A-America? Is that you?" asked a familiar southern accent. My little brother stared up at me with wide eyes from underneath the brim of his huge cowboy hat. I nodded and smiled warmly. Texas' mouth split into a huge grin before he scampered off, hollering, "Alfred's back! Alfred's back!" I chuckled slightly at his usual enthusiasim until I heard the sound of fifty feet running through the house and towards me. My eyes widened and the wind was knocked out of me as the fifty states tackled me to the ground.

"America! We missed you so much!" Pennsylvania, Delaware's twin, said with tears of joy in his crimson eyes. I laughed and wrapped my arms around as many as I could. Pennsylvania, Delaware, Vermont, New York, and California were closest to me, but I managaged to get my arms around Ohio, Kansas, Arizona, Alabama, Illinois, and New Hampshire too. Delaware was hugging me tightly back, his face buried in my chest. When the group hug broke, Delaware still hadn't let go of me. I wrapped my arms around him in a proper hug and drew him close. Tears rolled down his cheeks and his body began to tremble.

"Hey. Hey, it's okay Daniel. I'm here now. I'm not going to leave you again, okay?" I whispered into his mousy-brown hair. He looked up at me with his electric blue eyes, his face wet with tears.

"Pr-promise?" he asked. I nodded and hugged him tighter. "I promise." Delaware smiled and broke away, wiping his tears away. England and Canada stood in the corner awkwardly as all fifty states turned to Canada, glaring. Their eyes followed his as he walked over to me nervously.

"Why did you tell them about me?!" he hissed in my ear and I shook my head, raising an eyebrow at Delaware. He looked down at his feet sheepishly. I cast him a 'We'll talk about this later' look and sighed. England placed a hand on my shoulder and said, "Could we please step into your room for a moment?" Biting my lip, I nodded, and England and Canada followed me into my bedroom. I tried to keep myself from staring at the huge blood stain on the floor. How had I survived?! England took a shaky breath and turned to me.

"Show them to us, America. Please," he said quietly. My face paled and I shook my head slowly, sitting on my bed and hugging my knees. England knelt in front of me, cupping my chin in his hand.

"America, please. We want to help you, so we need to know what condition you're in." I hesitated slightly, but then nodded and stood up, pulling off my shirt.


	8. VII

England's POV:  
Tears threatened to spill from my eyes as America turned to me, his shirt lying next to him on the floor. His skin seemed to stretch painfully over his bones, as if he hadn't eaten for months. His chest, neck, and arms were covered in old scars and fresh cuts that were still an angry red color. I could see hints of what used to be words carved above his right ribs, but it was coated with so many scars that it wasn't legible. Deep cuts also lingered on his jutting hips. Canada looked at his older brother, his tear-stained face filled with shock.

"All of them, America," I said hoarsely, trying to hold in my tears and knowing there were still more. He grimaced before removing his pants, revealing more scars on his legs and crawling their way under his American flag boxers. In some places, it looked as if he had gouged out some of his flesh and when it healed, he cut over it. America looked down at the floor and refused to meet my gaze, tears brimming in his eyes. Swallowing, I wrapped my arms protectively around my son as I had in the hospital after Alaska's death. I tried to find my voice, wanting to say something, _anything_ that would comfort the crying nation.

"I-I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! P-please don't hate me!" America sobbed, burying his face in my shoulder. My eyes widened in shock. He expected _me_ to hate _him?!_ He should be the one hating me! I'd been such an idiot, falling for his fake happiness and 'I'm the Hero!' shenanigans. Tears pricked at my eyes and I choked back a sob.

"I don't hate you, America. I could never hate you...I should be the one apologising, not you," I said through gritted teeth. America looked up at me with his expression hardened and he pulled away, grabbing his shirt and pants and pulling them back on.

"Can't disagree with you there," he said, his voice suddenly cold and unforgiving. Canada hung back and looked down at his feet, tears streaming down his face. America's gaze softened slightly and he gave Canada a quick hug, whispering something in his ear. Canada smiled through his tears and nodded. America turned back to me and glared as he walked past me. I stared at him in shock as he left his room, closing the door behind him. How had he gone from crying and apologising to stone cold in a matter of seconds?!


	9. VIII

America's POV:

It had been about three hours since I kicked Canada and England out of my house. England was practically in tears and begging me to let him stay, but I honestly _did not care._ Canada and England, the two people who were supposed to love and care about me, had been my greatest tormentors. The evidence of how their words affected me were permanently etched into my skin and mind. I laid in bed curled up under the blanket, tears streaming down my face as their painful words echoed in my mind.

 **Idiot!**

 **Worthless piece of s***!**

 **Fat Ass!**

 **Useless!**

 **Selfish!**

 **Go to hell where you belong!**

 **Waste of Space!**

 **Your ideas are so stupid! Why do you even bother showing up to meetings?!**

 **I wish I was** ** _never_** **your father!**

 **Attention Whore!**

 **Weak!**

 **Pathetic!**

 **Stop saying you're the hero. You're only lying to yourself!**

 **I wish you were dead!**

 **Go away, no one wants you!**

 **Slut!**

 **Reckless!**

 **I HATE YOU!**

A sob of pure agony and grief ripped its way out of my throat, my tears falling faster down my pale clammy cheeks. My entire body trembled as I curled up tighter, burying my face in my knees and trying to calm myself down. My eyes fell on my razor, which laid on top of my dresser and I reached out to grab it, my hand shakng violently. I wanted...no, I _needed_ to feel the sharp pain that came from the jagged metal ripping through my skin, creating beautiful scars on my hideous, fat, ugly body. Scars that I had earned, that I deserved. Scars that took the pain of those words away. Just as my hand wrapped around the handle, a loud knock sounded on my door. I quickly snatched my hand back and sat up, wrapping my blanket around my bare torso.

"Come in," I said hoarsely. The door opened and Delaware came in with Pennsylvania, clutching a notebook tightly to his chest. My eyes widened as I saw the tears leaking out of Pennsylvania's crimson eyes as he put his arm around Delaware's shoulders. Pennsylvania _never cried._

"A-America...why...?" Delaware said softly, looking down at my journal and back at me. I broke into a cold sweat and snatched the journal out of his arms, terror welling up in my chest. They'd read it.

"H-How much did you read?" I asked shakily. My two younger brothers glared at me, Pennsylvania moving away from his twin and kneeling beside my bed directly in front of me.

"You didn't answer his question. Why, America? Why are you doing this to yourself?!" Pennsylvania growled, but his eyes were filled with grief. I set the journal aside and hugged my knees to my chest, forcing back my tears. I couldn't let them think I was weak.

"I deserve it. I'm a horrible country, and I do more harm than good. I forget Canada, my own brother, and treat him like sh** when I do remember him. E-Everything they all s-say...it h-hurts. But I know it's true." Delaware paled but said nothing, and Pennsylvania just looked up at me. So I continued. "I'm a worthless fat ass that no one needs or loves. I only hurt everyone. I-I do this b-because it makes the pain go away," I said in a hoarse whisper.

"America, what are you talking about?!" Pennsylvania said firmly, sitting next to me on the bed and grabbing me by the shoulders, turning me to face him. His albino skin was even paler than usual and his white shock of hair was beginning to stick to his forehead from sweat. I looked away from the seemingly disgusted look in his crimson eyes. He hated me...he thought I was disgusting...I could see it. I bit my lip and held back a yelp as his nails dug into my shoulders, sending a shooting pain down my arms.

"P-Pennsylvania, stop! You're hurting him!" Delaware gasped, grabbing Pennsylvania roughly by the shoulders and pulling him away. I winced a little and gingerly touched my right shoulder, which was smarting horribly.

"I-I'm sorry. It was an accident," Pennsylvania said quietly, looking down at his hands shamefully. I shook my head and turned away. I didn't understand. Why was he apologizing?! He should hate me! He should be disgusted with me! I was worthless, a nobody. My scars should make him hate me! That's how it always was!

"America. Look at me." I refused, instead burying face in my hands. The bed creaked as Delaware and Pennsylvania sat on either side of me. I trembled as Pennsylvania reached out to touch my shoulder, afraid. Was he going to hurt me?!

"N-No...please d-don't..." I whimpered, hugging my knees to my chest and trembling. He was going to hurt me. He was going to show me how much he hated me! Just like Japan had, and just like England had, just like everyone had! I didn't want this! A sob burst through my lips and I recoiled sharply as Pennsylvania's hand touched my shoulder. He stared at me in shock, his hand hovering in the air.

"A-America...I'm not going to hurt you!" he exclaimed sorrowfully, tears beginning to glisten in his eyes. I gasped and trembled more violently as he wrapped his arms around me. I struggled to get out of my younger brother's grip, but he refused to let go. He rubbed my back and whispered soothingly in my ear, trying to calm me down. I stopped struggling but my body still shook violently, my eyes wide with terror. Delaware joined the embrace and rested his head on my shoulder, tears spilling down his cheeks.

"We would never hurt you, America. Please, don't be afraid," he said quietly, and I swallowed, trying to calm my racing heart.

"B-But...why wouldn't you? Don't you hate me? Don't you think I'm disgusting?" I asked. Delaware looked up at me with shock, his blue eyes wide.

"W-Why would we hate you?! You should be the one that hates us! We didn't see what was happening to you until it was too late..." Delaware's voice trailed off and he buried his head in my chest, hugging Pennsylvania and I tighter.

"I never want to see another intentional scar on your body again, America. Understand?!" Pennsylvania said, looking me in the eyes. I nodded.

"I-I understand. I pr-promise I'll stop." But I knew, deep down, that I wouldn't be able to keep that promise.


	10. IX

Delaware's POV:  
Pennsylvania and I stayed with America until he drifted off into an uneasy sleep, his brow furrowed with worry and his body remaining stiff. Tears trailed down my cheeks as I kissed my older brother's forehead softly, getting off his bed quietly after grabbing his diary and leaving the room, closely followed by Pennsylvania. I was still in shock from America's reaction. Did he _really_ think that we would hurt him?! After everything he'd been through?! He'd looked absolutely terrified of us...

"Del, you okay?" Pennsylvania asked softly, resting an arm on my shoulder. I shook my head, gritting my teeth. I hated crying in front of people, especially the other states. I was the oldest. I could not show that I was weak. I held up America's journal and handed it to him. A shocked look came across his face as he read the words on the front: 'Diary of a Hero Awesome dude Nation Person Worthless piece of S***.' He flinched and handed the diary back to me, shaking his head.

"Suit yourself. I'll be reading it to the _rest_ of the original 13. We're the oldest, and they need to know," I said quietly, tucking the leather-bound journal into my pocket. _Especially Virginia. He's the oldest state after all, even if I look older, _I thought absentmindedly. I saw Pennsylvania flinch out of the corner of my eye and sighed.

"Do we have to?" he asked, a grimace on his face. I nodded, slightly sad at my twin's discomfort. Pennsylvania sighed dejectedly and looked at the journal with loathing, a grimace on his face. I knew this was going to be hard, and it would take a while for America to get better, but if all 13 of us helped each other and the rest of the 50 states helped too, we could get him back on his feet again.


	11. X

A/N: WARNING! The following characters' personalities are based off of stereotypes! Also, I've changed Delaware's age from 16 to 18.

New York's POV:  
New Jersey paced back and forth, his somewhat pale hand running through his curly blonde hair. His hazel eyes seemed to be filled with concern, which was a rare sight for the usually snobbish state. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at my younger brother's anxiety. I mean sure, we were all scared for big brother, he tried to commit suicide! But freaking out wasn't going to do anything!

"Michael calm down, worrying your butt off isn't going to help anybody!" I snapped, my Brooklyn accent making my words sound harsher than intended. New Jersey, or Michael as he was more commonly called by us states, glared at me, his usually warm hazel eyes stiff and cold. "Shut up Jack, you can't tell me what to do!" he growled. I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"Daniel and Ryan will be back any minute, okay? Calm down. Everything's going to be fine," I said. Michael looked at me warily before beginning to pace again. My fingers tapped the arm of the couch I was sitting in and I looked around the room. Ryan and Daniel had called an emergency meeting for all of the original 13 colonies, which happened rarely, so we were all in the room. I looked at each of my siblings in turn, observing them silently.

Georgia (Allison) had her raven-black hair pulled up into a tight bun, framing her slightly tan face. Her dark eyes were sparkling behind her glasses as she was engrossed in a book, her mouth occasionally twitching in a smile or frown. She wore a long, plain white dress that wasn't too flashy or elegant, but still could pass as sophisticated, and her familiar gold cross necklace hung around her neck. Next to her sat my brother Connecticut, a.k.a Joseph. I snickered as he tried to look over Allison's shoulder and at the book she was reading. His brown eyes sparkled with mischief as she huffed and snapped the book closed, making his blonde hair and black t-shirt ruffle slightly. He rolled his eyes and got up, probably to poke in someone elses business.

I turned my attention to others. South Carolina (Thomas) and New Hampshire (Alona) were in a heated discussion. Thomas was talking in a harsh whisper so I couldn't understand him, but he was using wide hand gestures and had animated expressions on his pale face. His usually slicked-back black hair was ruffled along with his red pinstripe suit. Alona was listening with a bored expression on her coffee-brown face. She tapped her fingers impatiently and her gray arms sparked with annoyance. Occasionally she would snap at him in Algic, a Native American language, to 'shut up'. I chuckled softly. North Carolina (David) watched the two with amusement in his golden eyes. That's right, golden. He had the long, curly black hair to match. A smile graced his lips as Thomas gave a loud huff and turned away from Alona.

Massachusetts, or Megan, caught me staring at her and glared at me, her sea green eyes filled with annoyance. Ignoring the glare, I continued to study her. She wore her usual outfit, which consisted of a pair of blue jeans and an aqua blue blouse. Her brown hair hung down around her in wisps. Maryland (Nick) was ignoring all of the commotion and was focusing on his phone screen. The light reflected from the screen and onto his glasses, making it impossible to see his green eyes. His brown hair was tossed in a quiff which clashed strangely with his plain black and white suit. And finally, there was Virginia, a.k.a Samuel. He sat up straight and tall in the middle of it all, having an almost regal look about him. His blue eyes were cold and as hard as ice, but had a hint of warmth. Golden rimmed glasses sat on the bridge of his nose. Dirty blonde hair hung around his face in jagged, straight locks. Like me, he observed all of the others in the room, occasionally shaking his head and sighing at their behavior.

"Stalking everybody again?" Rhode Island (Patrick) said, giggling a bit. I snapped out of my trance and looked down at him with a slight glare. "It's not stalking, i-it's...it's observing!" I huffed defensively. Patrick rolled his eyes and hopped up next to me on the couch, swinging his little legs absentmindedly. His glasses were replaced by contacts today, which was a bit strange to me. He always wore his glasses.

"Looks like everybody's here," Delaware, or Daniel, said as he and Pennsylvania (Ryan) walked in. Samuel got to his feet so that Daniel could sit. Everyone's eyes turned to the two twins when they entered the room. Daniel sat down, slightly uncomfortable with being the center or attention. He held up a leather notebook for all of us to see.

"As you all know, Alfred has been going through a lot lately after Vicktor's death. I found this in his room after he tried to commit suicide. It's his journal." Whispers erupted in the room as Daniel finished his sentence. Michael and I exchanged an uneasy glance before turning back to Daniel. But this time, surprisingly, Ryan spoke up. "Daniel has read Alfred's journal, and has concluded that Alfred's been going through a lot more than he lets on. So, Daniel has decided we all should read it," he said. More whispers.

"How exactly is this going to help Alfred?" Megan piped up, raising an eyebrow at Daniel and Ryan. "Isn't it obvious? If we read the journal, we'll know how to help him!" Patrick said, getting to his feet. It didn't make much of a difference since he was so short,but everyone turned to him just the same. He swallowed before continuing.

"I was at the meeting the day Vicktor died. Alfred had great ideas, but he was put down every time. But he kept right on smiling. But it was _fake_. There's a much bigger picture here that we need to understand, and reading his journal will help." The other thirteen, including me, stared at him in shock.

"I guess that settles it. Who's reading first?" Samuel said.


	12. XI

A/N: Entries in bold do not belong to me.  
Virginia's POV:

I tried to keep my face expressionless as I observed the other thirteen. All of them still held expressions of shock. No one wanted to read. I guess I couldn't blame them I knew Alfred had a lot of unpleasant secrets, and none of us wanted to find them out. But, if we wanted to help Alfred, we had to.

"Fine. I'll read," I said, taking the journal from Daniel. All of the others turned to me and I felt an unexplained sense of pride. I finally felt like I was the oldest sibling. Clearing my throat, I opened the notebook and began to read. "Okay, this looks like from when he was discovered... "

"Dear Diary,  
Today, a nice man landed on my shores. He told me his name was Christopher Columbus. There was another man who smiled a lot. He said he was a person like me, he represented a country. Spain, to be exact. I like him a lot. Mama told me I shouldn't trust men like him, but when Papa Scandinavia found me he didn't seem mean. In fact, he and mama said they loved each other. So I think that maybe Spain and I can be friends someday!  
-Alfred," I muttered. A small smile graced my lips. He'd been such an optimistic kid. I passed the diary to Thomas. He licked his lips nervously, flipped through a few pages, and then read.

"Dear Diary,  
Dad said I would be getting some brothers and sisters soon. He called them the thirteen colonies. Virginia, who he's named Samuel, has already shown up. He's really shy and quiet, and he can be mean sometimes. He doesn't seem to like me much. I'm not a bad older brother already, am I?  
-Alfred." After he finished, Thomas shot me a glare and handed the journal to Jack. I swallowed, feeling slightly guilty. I remembered how awful I'd been to Alfred the first couple years of our brotherhood. But then Megan showed up and sorted us out. Jack huffed and read.

" **Dear Diary,  
Someone yelled at me for being too loud and obnoxious today. Like always, Mattie was there to comfort me. That only made me cry more because I'm only loud so I don't wind up like him. Forgotten. I mean, I love my little brother, really I do, but I don't know what I'd do if people started ignoring me. Does that make me a bad person...?  
-Alfred,**" Jack said. His fingers dug into the leather notebook when Canada was mentioned and he shoved the book at Michael. "He always was a bit too selfless..." he said softly. Michael hesitantly put a comforting hand on his shoulder shoulder before he read.

"Dear Diary,  
I'm worried about Rhode Island. I know he isn't that old, but he's so small for his age! Connecticut was founded in the same year he was, so they should be the same age! But Connecticut is 10, and Rhode Island is only 4! Dad says I'm too young to be worrying about things like this and that he'd take care of him, but I can't help it! Rhode is my little brother, and he needs help. I just don't know _how to help!_ What can I do, Diary?!  
-Alfred." Michael blinked and gave Patrick an odd glance. Patrick looked as if he were about to start crying and hugged his knees to his chest. "I didn't think he cared," he said quietly.

"Of course he cared, Patrick. Your size scared us pretty bad too. We all thought you wouldn't make it," Nick said, surprising us all as he turned off his phone and put it away, looking at Patrick with sincerity. Patrick blinked before smiling weakly at him. I sighed softly and looked away. With a shaking hand, Patrick gently took the book out of Michael's hands to read next.

"Dear Diary,  
Dad was fighting France again today. He said he would come back with someone when he won. I know who it is. My brother Canada is living with France, and he is who dad and France are fighting over. I know this will make me a bad son, but I'm hoping that France will win. Canada loves him so much, and he'll be so unhappy if he lives with me and England...  
-Alfred," Patrick said. He gaped, his eyes wide. "I never knew he thought that! I thought he hated France!" I butted in.

"He did hate France, but he didn't hate Matthew. He wanted him to be happy," I said. Patrick nodded slightly and handed the diary to Megan. She flipped through a few pages and her eyes widened. "It's about me!" she exclaimed. If any of us hadn't been paying attention, we were now. Megan swallowed hard before beginning to read.

"Dear Diary,  
There was a riot in Boston today. A large crowd gathered around Private White, a British Officer who had been defending one of his comrades from the insults of one of my citizens. It horrified me to see my people being so beastly towards someone who hadn't really done anything wrong. The mob grew worse and I searched wildly for Massachusetts. Sure enough, she was there in the crowd, jeering at the officer along with everyone else. The next few moments were a blur as the officers, out of fear, fired into the crowd. Two were killed instantly. Massachusetts' face was twisted, as if she felt their pain. All I could do was watch as more people were injured and killed. This incident will later be known as the "Boston Massacre".  
-Alfred." Megan looked guilty as she handed off the diary to Nick. "Wait a minute. You said the soldiers fired first! You never said anything about the people attacking an officer!" Alona butted in, her eyes blazing. "Oh boy," Ryan muttered.


	13. XII

"Wait a minute. You said the soldiers fired first! You never said anything about the people attacking an officer!" Alona hissed, her eyes blazing with anger. Megan bit her lip nervously but quickly hid it with an arrogant smirk. Alona crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her. "Well?!" She opened her mouth to speak when Alona landed a hard slap on my cheek, stunning her into silence.

"You don't lie about stuff like that!" Alona shrieked. The rest of the 13 watched the two, some of them shaking their heads while others stared in sock. Megan swallowed and bit her lip, trying to speak. Alona growled and her grey eyes turned story, sparking with anger. Megan glared back, regaining her composure. Patrick instantly shot to his feet and stood between his two sisters, hoping they wouldn't turn on him.

"Please, stop fighting, you're both being ridiculous!" he chided, grabbing their arms and pulling them apart a little ways. Alona glared at him, her fists clenching tightly. Patrick swallowed, his eyes wide with fear. It wasn't like Alona to get physical when she was angry, but the look in her eyes made him question it. Megan placed her hands on his shoulders protectively, glaring at her sister.

"Okay okay, that's enough!" Daniel growled softly. "America knew about it, and so did most of us! Let it go! We came here today to find a way to help America, not to argue over stupid things!" Alona opened her mouth to retort when the rest of the thirteen joined the argument. Some of them argued against Alona, while others, the ones who didn't know about Megan's 'lie', joined her side. They were so caught up in the fight that they didn't notice a figure slip out of the room, chuckling softly to themselves.


	14. XIII

2p!America's POV:

I stared out my bedroom window, picking at the bandages wrapped around my arms and chest. Trembling slightly from the chill that rested over my room, I observed the snowy landscape that laid past the glass pane. I could see children playing in the snow, some building snowmen or sledding on hills. My mouth twitched slightly in a smile, but it quickly faded. Winter brought back so many memories. Memories I wanted to forget...

"Allen, I'm back~!" a sing-song voice called behind me. I sighed and rolled my eyes, turning to face my younger sister Audrey, the personification of 2p!Mississippi. Her blue eyes flashed merrily as she quickly entered the room, plopping onto my bed and beaming at me. Her strawberry blonde hair was cropped short and I shivered at her uncanny resemblance to Oliver.

"I see that. What's going on with the 1ps? Is Pork-chops alright?" I used my nickname for my counterpart and tried to keep my voice even in an attempt to appear calm before my sister. Audrey's smile faltered and she looked down at her feet. My heart dropped and I bit my lip, waiting for her reply.

"Not good...it's just like over here. But, I-I think it may be worse over there," Audrey said softly. My brow furrowed.

"What do you mean, worse?"

"America still wants to die. I-I know you do too-" Audrey teared up "-but our 1ps have done next to nothing to help him. He told Canada he forgave him in order to let him forgive himself. In reality, he still hates him." My expression hardened and I muttered, "Only difference there is Matthew's forgiven..." I grimaced as I thought of my brother and best friend's betrayals all in one moment. Audrey swallowed.

"A-Anyways, I was never caught while never caught while I was there. I tried to blend in as best as I could, and they're all used to having at least 50 some people in the house," she added. I nodded slightly and sighed, resting my chin on my hand.

"So we gotta help Pork-chops a-and...eliminate the threat, like we did here?" Audrey nodded. "Right now, we're America's only hope."


	15. XIV

2p!America's POV:

"Jeremy, Markus, come," I said as I walked past their bedroom. The personifications of 2p!New Jersey and New York groaned and got up off their beds, following me into the living. Jeremy's grey-blue eyes sparked and he tucked a loose strand of his blonde hair behind his ear, a sort of quirk he'd developed. Whenever nervous or annoyed, the New Yorker would always do that. Markus on the other hand, flopped onto a couch indifferently, his long, dark hair hanging in front of his face, shielding his dark eyes.

"What do you want, Allen?" Jeremy muttered, folding his arms across his chest. "Plan Exterminate needs to be enacted. 1p Canada, Syria, and Russia mirrored the actions made by their 2ps. We need to put the plan into action before 1p!Syria makes another move," I said, glaring. Jeremy blinked, his mouth opening slightly in a startled realization.

"You mean Viktor-?"

"Yes. V-Vitaly's 1p is also dead..." My voice broke and I looked down at my feet, sadness creeping into my tone at the mention of 2p!Alaska. Markus flinched and looked up at me, his expression twisted with grief. He sat up and sighed, staring st the ground.

"So...we have to kill them..."


	16. XV

America's POV:

My entire body was flickering. No, I don't mean shaking, it was _flickering_ like a candle's flame. Some parts were completely translucent, or just gone. I didn't panic though, or try to stop it. This is what I wanted. I wanted to die. Maybe not this way, but it was something. I went and layed on my bed, smiling at the streaks of pain that game with the fading, that made me cry out in pain and my entire body jerk. As I was lying there, I couldn't stop thinking about Alaska. I would die before I got my revenge...revenge on the three sick, twisted personages who stooped so low they killed a child to get at me. Two were his brothers...one by blood, the other by...adoption, of sorts. Tears pricked at my eyes, but I couldn't help but smile.

 _I'm coming, Viktor..._


	17. XVI

Russia's POV:

"Latvia! Where are you?" I called in a sing-song voice. I chuckled softly as the small nation quickly ran into my room, bowing low before me.

"S-Sorry Mr. Russia, I was busy! You called?" I nodded slightly and stood, patting Latvia's head affectionately. He shuddered, but forced a smile on his lips. Unfortunately for him, I noticed. I would deal with him later, though. I sensed something and I didn't have time for disciplining.

"Check all the doors for me, make sure they're locked," I said, smiling widely at him. Latvia nodded quickly before running off again. Sighing with content, I fingered the long pipe hidden beneath my coat, staring out at the snow covered ground outside my window. It had been almost a month since I aided in Alaska's killing. A chilling grin crept over my face. I had always wanted revenge on my младший брат. He left me...for America, of all people...

A loud crash and a shrill scream reached m ears and I tilted my head slightly. It was high pitched, like Latvia's screams when I disciplined him. I stiffened slightly at the thought of someone else hurting him. Surely, they wouldn't be easy on him like I was! Pulling my beloved pipe from under my cloak, I dashed out of my room and into the hall. Latvia laid splayed out on the ground, twitching slightly. Blood poured from a gash on his head, soaking his hair and the carpet. Kneeling beside him, I gently lifted his head and inspected it. Not deep enough to kill, but it would leave a nasty scar. A low growl found its way from my throat and I got to my feet, a dark purple aura surrounding me.

"Who did this?! I know you're there!" I shouted, gripping my pipe tighter. A low laugh sounded behind me and I smirked, turning. 2p!America returned my smirk, hefting a metal baseball bat with rusting nails sticking out the ends. "Allen! What a surprise. What brings you here?" He said nothing, merely staring at me over the tops of his shades. His lifted his bat above is head, chuckling.

"Lights out, Commie."

младший брат: Russian for little brother.


	18. XVII

Canada's POV:

"Gone...? What do you mean, gone?!" Syria roared, grabbing me by the front of the shirt. I shook slightly with fear but glared up at him, my lips twisted into a scowl. Syria gave a disappointed sigh when I didn't answer and pushed me away, striding back to the map tacked to the wall. Multiple markings of planned attacks left the U.S' portion of it practically in ruins.

"Without Russia these plans are for nothing! Unless..." Syria's voice trailed off and he turned to me, a smug grin on his lips. "You said America was back in the hospital, yes? On Life Support?" I grimaced and nodded slightly. America had re-attempted suicide after he had almost faded completely. He hadn't succeeded, but was left barely alive. Syria grinned maliciously at my nod and turned back to the map.  
"Without America, the States are defenseless! Imagine him coming out of the hospital, only to find that his precious siblings are dead!" Syria cackled. My fists clenched and I forced a grin on my face, nodding eagerly in agreement.

2p!Mississippi's POV:  
I swallowed hard, shaking slightly and pressing harder against the wall of the closet I was hiding in, peering into Syria and Canada's secret meeting. As I heard more of their plans to kill off the States, my heart plummeted. It was just like back home...their 2ps had begun an extermination of the States, starting with the youngest. To my horror, Syria had reversed the plans. Virginia would be attacked first! The least prepared...I had to tell Allen!


	19. XVIII

Russia's POV:

"What should I do with you? There are so many options," 2pAmerica chuckled, circling me like a wolf would circle its prey. I was tied firmly to a chair with course ropes that dug into my skin, rubbing it raw. I smiled coldly America's counterpart despite the fear that raced through my heart as he fondly handled his spiked metal bat. He seemed to sense my fear and chuckled lowly, prodding me with the bat.

"I'm just going to make this quick." He pulled out a gun, pressing it firmly to the side of my head. I chuckled, my eyes gleaming as I smirked up at him. I knew if he killed me now, he could never discover our plans. America and his states would perish like they so justly deserved, and the world would finally be at peace. 2pAmerica's finger squeezed the trigger and I closed my eyes, preparing for death.

"Allen! Allen, there's an emergency!" 2pMississippi shrieked, barreling into the room at top speed. My head tilted slightly as 2pAmerica growled under his breath and let his hand fall to his side. 2pMississippi came up to him, gasping and panting heavily. 2pAmerica quickly ran over to her, grabbing her gently by the shoulders.

Glancing at me, 2pMississippi dragged him farther away to talk to him alone. I smiled coldly as they spoke in hushed whispers. 2pMississippi looked as if she were about to cry, and 2pAmerica looked uncomfortable as he put her hands on her shoulders, most likely reassuring her. As they conversed they glanced at me constantly, 2pAmerica growing more and more angry as they talked. Hr quickly whispered something else to her and sent her on her way. His eyes blazing a brilliant red behind his glasses, he turned to me with, wicked grin.

"You sneaky little bast**d! Did you really think I wouldn't find out about your stupid plan?" he cackled, once again pointing the gun to my head. "Well, looks like I don't have any use for you anymore! Lights out." I closed my eyes as he pulled the trigger and a shot echoed through the room. I thudded to the floor, my eyes still clenched shut as I slowly bled out. Letting out one last strangled breath, I let go.


	20. XIX

2pAmerica's POV:

I sighed slightly and put the gun back in my pocket, smirking at Russia's lifeless form. I couldn't help but think how funny he looked lying on the floor, still tied to the chair, with blood pooling from his forehead and dotted across his face. It was good to kill again. Wiping a few of the specks of blood from my jacket, I tossed my gun to the side and left the room, telling myself to remember to clean it up later.

If Audrey had listened to me, she would be alerting the other Nations America was close to pf the predicament he was in while I went off to tell his states, namely Virginia. A shiver went down my spine and I rubbed the back of my neck uncomfortably, feeling as if I was being watched. Quickly entering my bathroom, I stood in front of the mirror and prepared to pass through it.

I caught a glance of my expression and grimaced. Scraggly, greasy auburn hair, my bones poking through and making my clothes hang off of me as if I were a skeleton, and blood splattered on my black leather jacket. Grabbing a pair of dark sunglasses from my jacket pocket, I put them on and threw my jacket to the side. I took a deep breath; I had a job to do, I couldn't let myself get distracted.

"Here goes nothing," I muttered under my breath, stepping through the mirror. I was enveloped in the silvery material and pushed through to the other side in a matter of seconds. I collapsed to my hands and knees against a blue tile floor, my wrist popping with a sickening crack. I winced and quickly got to my feet, rushing through Alfred's home.

"Hey, anybody here? I'm looking for Samuel!" I called, waiting for an answer. A small little girl with dark hair and slightly tanned skin peeked her head around the corner shyly, a can of spam clutched tightly in her small hand. I blinked before plastering a smile on my face and kneeling down in front of her.

"Hello. You're Hawaii, aren't you?" The small girl nodded and smiled, coming out from behind the wall to reveal her small white sundress and bracelets of flowers on her wrists. "Can you show me where your brother is? Virginia?" I asked. Hawaii's eyes widened slightly and she glanced around for a moment, pressing a finger to her lips.

"He isn't here right now. Don't let the others hear you; they don't know why he's gone," Hawaii whispered in a soft tone. I nodded quickly in agreement and she sighed with relief. She took my hand in hers and began to lead me further into the large house, glancing around to see if her other siblings were around.

"I will take you to Nick. He is Maryland. Even though he is not the oldest, he's the most resourceful. If you want to tell him something and keep it a secret, he will keep it. He's also really good at planning things," Hawaii said with a knowing smile. I gaped at her in surprise.

"How...How did you..." My voice trailed off and she let out a small giggle. "Just because I'm the youngest doesn't mean I'm not smart and can't read people. We 'Americans' have that one thing in common," Hawaii said indifferently, and I shrugged off my confusion. It made sense...

Hawaii stopped in front of a room with a old fashioned wood door, an out of place CAUTION sign hanging from the frame. Loud My Chemical Romance songs blared from inside and I resisted the urge to sing along. Hawaii knocked on it rapidly and the music was instantly shut off, the sound of someone cussing silently and shoving things around coming from inside. The door opened and a young man with dorky black glasses, green eyes, and brown hair styled in a quiff appeared. Hawaii said he was Maryland...Nick, was his name if I remembered correctly...

"Ali'ikai, I told you not to bother me!" Nick hissed, and I noticed for the first time that his eyes were blood shot and his face slightly wet. Hawaii, or Ali'ikai as I had just discovered, looked down at her feet guiltily and shrugged before pointing to me.

"He needs to talk to you. He says it's important," Ali'ikai insisted. Nick's expression hardened as soon as his eyes fell on me and he growled. "Get out. No 'Alfred imposters' here," he muttered, and I glared at him, offended.

"I'm no imposter. I'm here to help you, and Alfred too!" I snapped. Nick huffed and folded his arms across his chest, an eyebrow raised. He swallowed and gave me a once over before sighing and moving aside.

"I guess you can come in. Ali'ikai, go play with Patrick or check up on Porto Rico and D.C." Hawaii nodded and ran off, her bare feet scurrying against the tiled floors. Glancing at Maryland, I walked past him and entered his bedroom. My eyes widened in shock.

Computers lined the walls, all of them showing stats for different areas of the world. A desk covered with paperwork was also filled with phones and several tablets. Parts of unfinished devices laid willy-nilly on the ground, their gears scattered all across the floor. It looked more like a hybrid between a computer lab and a workshop than a bedroom.

"Do you like it? Alfred and I have been working on this for a while before he...you know," Nick said, both pride and slight bitterness mixed in his tone. I nodded and sat down on a clear patch of Nick's bed, feeling crowded and even a bit uneasy.

"Interesting. Anyways, I'm hear for something very important, and I need your help. I'm sure you are aware of how your younger brother Alaska died, yes?' I asked. Nick stiffened and looked away, closing his eyes and nodding. I bit my lip before continuing.

"Well, the same thing is going to happen to the rest of you, except for New York, New Jersey, Mississippi, and Texas if you can't find a way to stop Syria and Canada from finishing what they started. I've already taken care of Russia personally, but we have to do something," I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking. Nick's face paled and he stumbled, just barely managing to sit in the chair beside his desk.

"W-We're...We're going to _die?!"_ Nick asked, his eyes wide in slight panicked. I quickly reached out a hand and rested it on his shoulder, looking him in the eye. "Calm down, Nick. We need to do something, so you can't panic. Do you have any ideas?' I said in as peaceful of a voice as I could. Nick swallowed hard before turning to one of his computers, hurriedly typing away before a map of the world appeared.

"I can hack into each of their government systems so that I can track their movements against our country, which should correspond with the actions of both Canada and Syria. That's all I can really do right now. Maybe we could all go in to hiding, but...what about Alfred? He's vulnerable, and being in such a weak state, he's an easy target!" Nick exclaimed, and I could see him once again beginning to panic. I shook my head with a slight sad smile.

"He can't die. As long as his capital D.C. is alive, he'll be fine. D.C. represents his heart in his body, so there is no way for him to die." As soon as I finished explaining, a light over the U.S. began to blink on Maryland's screen. He quickly typed something and zeroed in on Dulles National Airport.

"Looks like there's been an unscheduled landing from Canada. It's a bunch of governmental officials and whatnot. Virginia told us that there was going to be some sort of meeting today," Nick murmured, and my breathing hitched. My hands shook as memories flashed before my eyes. Burning, screaming, gunshots... I quickly shook my head.

"It's not a meeting. It's a trap. We need to get to D.C. _now."_


	21. XX

A/N: Things are going to get _wayyyy_ darker from here. Just a heads up.

Canada's POV:

A gun was hidden under my coat, along with a water bottle filled with gasoline as I exited the private jet. D.C. was there to greet the Prime Minister and I as approached, wearing his usual crisp suit and his long hair tied back in a pony tail. I wrinkled my nose in disgust; he should have just made a gender change to a girl. He sure looked like one.

"Matthew! So nice to see you! Come in," D.C. said with a smile, flashing me his pearly whites before leading my boss and I to the limo waiting for us. When he tried to put an arm on my shoulder I shrugged him off, wrinkling my nose as my eyes fell on the feminine hands. D.C. quickly withdrew his hand and let it hang at his side with a sigh. I smirked before getting into the limo. This was going to be fun.

Maryland's POV:

"Tablet, check. Phone, check. Bomb parts, check. Screwdriver, check," I muttered under my breath, packing everything into my bag and putting it over my shoulder. Alfred's 2p, Allen, looked at me with raised eyebrows over the tops of his dark sunglasses. I rolled my eyes and brushed past him hurriedly. Right now, I just needed to get to D.C. before something happened to her- I mean him.

"We can take my car," I said, and Allen once again gave me a weird look. "You can drive? You look like you're 14," Allen protested, and I sighed. "Personifications get shortcuts. You should know that." He shifted, uncomfortable, but said nothing more. I quickly got into the front seat of my car, ignoring the gaping stare on Allen's face as he got in after me.

"Next stop, D.C.!"

Canada's POV:

The meeting was long and boring. An hour had already passed, and nothing much had been done. D.C. and I sat next to each other in an uncomfortable silence, D.C. fidgeting with his hair or his tie. I fingered the gun and the bottle filled with gasoline, and glanced at my boss silent agreement. Pulling out the gun, I got to my feet and fired several shots at the ceiling. The other people in the room screamed and ducked down, and the guards at the doors pointed their guns at me. I rolled my eyes before shooting them both, killing them on the spot. D.C. looked at with, his dark eyes filled with horror as he scrambled out of his seat and tried to get away from me.

"You aren't going anywhere, fag," I snarled, grabbing D.C. by the hair and yanking him towards me, putting the gun to his head. He whimpered softly, struggling in my grip and trying to away. The President was the first to slowly get to his feet, his eyes darting from D.C. and I to the two dead guards on the ground.

"What do you want? Do you want money? We'll give it to you, just let the boy go," the President said, obviously trying to sound reasonable. I cackled maniacally, twisting D.C.'s hair around my hand and making him gasp, his eyes brimming with tears.

"Sorry to disappoint you Mister President, but I don't want money. I'm a nation; I don't need it! I want revenge," I snarled. "We'll be going now. If you all value your pathetic mortal lives, I suggest you don't follow us," I said with a slight chuckle. I dragged D.C. out of the meeting hall and back towards the limo. He tried to scream for help, and bit my hand when I clamped it over his mouth. I hissed in pain before slamming him against the side of the limo and punching him in the jaw, hard enough to leave a bruise but not to make him unconscious. He groaned and I shoved him into the back of the limo before getting into the driver's seat.

"W-Why are you doing this?" D.C. whimpered from his position on the limo floor, shaking from head to toe and curling up on himself. I gazed at him with the rear-view mirror, licking my lips in an almost hungry fashion as I did a once over of his vulnerable form. I shuddered as I thought of all the things I could do to him before I killed him. Pleasant to me, torture for him. Oh, I couldn't wait.

"Revenge, my dear. What else would I do this for?" I said with a chuckle. Feeling that we were finally far enough from the meeting hall, I pulled to the side of the highway. D.C. scrambled back and tried to open one of the locked doors as I crawled into the back seat. I muffled his scream with my hand as I pinned him to the floor of the limo, running my other hand over his side. He shuddered and squirmed, tears welling up in his eyes as he tried to get away from me.

"Don't struggle, that'll just make it hurt worse. You know just as well as I do that Alfred can feel everything you feel. You don't want to cause him more pain than he's going to go through, do you?" I said with a purr, licking the shell of his ear. D.C. whimpered but stopped struggling, tears rolling down his cheeks as he breathed heavily.

"Let's see what's under that suit of yours, hm?" I said quietly, playing with the zipper of his jeans.


	22. XXI

Maryland's POV:

Allen and I were traveling down the busy highways leading to Washington D.C., groggy from the three hour trip and constant bickering about me not driving fast enough. I told him to look out for any government limos, stating that Canada would probably be in one with his boss and D.C.

"NICK, PULL OVER!" Allen suddenly screamed, his eyes wide with horror. I veered to the side of the road, almost crashing into other cars but somehow managing to pull to the side of the road. I turned to the back, angry and about to cuss him out for making me crash, when I saw the look on his face. He was pale, shaky, and there were even tears gathering in his eyes. With a shaking hand, he pointed ahead to a car on the side of the road. It was roaring with flames, and people were screaming and swerving their cars to get away from it.

"W-We're too late," Allen said with a shaky voice, and I saw the tears begin to roll down his cheeks. My breathing hitched and I shook my head wildly, getting out of my car and rushing over to the burning shell of the other. As I drew closer, I realized with terror that someone was screaming _inside of the car._ I recognized the singed logo on the side of the car, indicating that it was a limo from Washington D.C., and tears of my own began to gather. The screaming of the person inside of the car grew louder and were mixed with pained sobs, making my blood run cold.

"I'll get you out! I promise I'm going to get you out!" I yelled with tear filled eyes. D.C. was in that car! As I tore at the metal door, blisters from the heat welled up on my hands and I hissed in pain. My eyes burned with anger and I pulled harder on the door, my superhuman strength making the door bend and groan. Allen quickly came to my side and grabbed another part of the door, his face filled with panic and tears rolled down his cheeks. Finally, with one last shriek of metal against metal the door flew open and was flung off the car and into the road.

"N-Nick..." the charred body on the floor whimpered, unmoving. Diving into the flames and crawling towards D.C., I ignored the burning and the intense pain as I tried to reach my brother. "Nick, hurry, the car is going to explode any second now! There's gasoline everywhere!" Allen said in a panicked voice. I nodded and scooped D.C.'s damaged body in my arms, crawling back out of the limo and falling to the ground. Allen yanked me to my feet and took D.C. from me, running as fast as he could away from the limo. I followed him, the burns on my legs making it harder for me to run.

"Hurry!" Allen screamed, looking behind me with horror filled eyes. A loud explosion shook the ground and I crumpled to my knees, shaken from the tremor in the ground. I glanced behind me to see the limo engulfed entirely in flames, all but the shell entirely demolished. Shaking, I got back to my feet and joined Allen where he was clutching D.C. in his arms. He was sobbing, rocking my brother's lifeless form.

"Not you too...please no," Allen choked out, and I sank to my knees beside him. He looked away from me, grimacing and wiping his eyes. "I-I'm sorry. I tried to help, I...I didn't this to happen here too...' Allen whimpered. I said nothing and just took D.C. from him, holding his small and charred frame close to my chest. His eyes were half closed and he was still breathing shallowly, but I knew he wouldn't be able to make it.

"N-Nick...i-it hurts," D.C. rasped, his hands going to his stomach as he let out a low groan. A sticky mixture of blood and a thick, white substance stained what remained of his pants and shirt, and as I realized what it was I started to cry harder, nuzzling my face into his hair. "I-I know D.C., I know. I'm sorry...I'm so sorry," I whimpered. D.C. rested his head on my chest, grabbing at the front of my shirt desperately.

"It's not your fault. C-Canada, he..." His voice trailed off and he shuddered violently, breathing heavily and burying his face in my chest. "He hurt me, not y-you. Alfred...He's going to try to kill Alfred when I'm dead. You have to protect. Please, for me," D.C. managed to choke out, his grip on me becoming weaker and his breath coming out less and less often. I kissed the top of his head, ignoring the bitter taste of his singed hair.

"I will, I promise. I'll make sure Alfred's okay. You can...you can rest now," I said softly. D.C. managed to smile, making his burned face twist. "Okay," he replied, and his closed his eyes. He let out one last strangled breath before going completely limp, his hand falling to his side and his body lying flat across my arms.


	23. XXII

Virginia's POV:

A crash jolted me out of my sleep and I sat bolt upright in bed, clutching my blankets and glancing around my room, sighing slightly at my light sleeping habits. I tilted my head slightly, listening as the sound of thumping and frantic footsteps echoed through the quiet home. Flinging off my covers as I heard a muffled scream, I jumped off of my bed and peeked through the crack in my ajar door.

A man dressed in black emerged from Georgia's room, gripping her by the hair and dragging her limp body behind him. A sock was shoved into her mouth and a trickle of blood ran down her forehead. Judging from her lack of movement, I concluded that she was unconscious. I clamped a hand over my mouth to try and mask my heavy, panicked breathing.

The man returned, this time entering Connecticut's room. A muffled cry for help was heard, followed by a scream. Moments later, Connecticut was being dragged out of his room in the same fashion, still tangled up in his sheets. I started to shake, my eyes wide as I watched the man return again and again, going into the room of each of the states and coming out with an unconscious body.

I noticed that he skipped over some rooms, and only went into the rooms of states that were colonies. Tears welled up in my eyes and I tried to gather up what little courage I had left, but I remained frozen with horror. When the man reached Maryland's room he cursed loudly, and I thanked God that Maryland hadn't turned up yet after disappearing with Allen. I watched as my brothers and sisters were taken, and the kidnapper slowly but surely got closer to my room.

Being as quiet as I could and still rushing, I crept away from the door and wriggled my way under my bed, breathing heavily with panic as New Jersey's door, the last door before mine, slammed shut. I held back a scream as the man appeared in the doorway, his silhouette casting a shadow over the room. He chuckled, a deep and cruel sound that sent chills down my spine.

"Come on out, Samuel. I know you're in here; you aren't a very subtle spy," a much too familiar voice said. Canada came in through the doorway, the light of my lamp casting an ominous shadow over his face. Tears welled up in my eyes and I covered my mouth with my hand again, trying not to betray my location with a whimper.

"Found you!" Canada said joyfully, grabbing my ankle and yanking me out from under my bed. I screamed, trying to get out of his grip by kicking and thrashing as he grabbed me by the hair, starting to drag my out of my room. I grunted in pain Canada kicked me harshly, knocking the wind out of me.

"Shut up, or I'll make you regret it," Canada hissed. I growled softly, but complied. I didn't feel like dying, and I couldn't risk one of the states running to my aid and getting killed. I hung limp in his arms, closing my eyes tightly and shaking as I fought back tears. I felt pathetic and weak as the walls I had built came crashing down and my emotions spilled out like a wave.

Canada led me out the back way of the house, throwing me to the ground and tossing a phone next to me. I looked up to see the eleven other states slumped against the wall, sporting various head injuries and passed out cold. Canada smirked when he saw my horrified expression, and he nudged the phone closer to me across the wet and dirty ground.

"Take a picture and send it to America," Canada hissed. I shook my head, keeping my gaze fixed to the ground. Canada growled and kicked me, making me groan and curl up. "Take the God da*n picture, or I'll kill them all!" Canada threatened. Tears started to roll down my cheeks and I nodded, picking up the phone and snapping a picture of my siblings' beaten bodies. Canada gave me a sickeningly sweet smile and swiped the phone from my hands before I could send the photo like he asked.

"I'll do it. Don't want you saying anything you might regret later!" Canada giggled. He started to type, his glasses reflecting the light off of his screen. "If you like them alive, do what I say," Canada murmured under his breath before sending the picture and the message.


	24. XXIII

Canada's POV:

My phone buzzed and I smirked as a reply popped up. I put my phone back in my pocket, giving myself a mental note to check it later. I hit the gas and drove the truck faster, chuckling softly as one of the colonies shrieked at the sudden increase in speed. My hand twitched on the steering wheel and I sighed. I'd have to talk to Syria about that, that whatever he was giving me to make me stronger was giving me small ticks and... episodes. I smirked; I didn't exactly mind _those._

"Where are you taking us?" Virginia asked hoarsely from his position in the passengers seat next to me. I chuckled and patted his head, making him shiver. "You'll see, Sammy. Can I call you that! Pft, I will anyways!" I replied with a cackle, making Virginia shrink back against his seat and whimper. I stuck my lips out in a fake pout and gave him a hard slap just because he was annoying me.

"I'll deal with you later. I think I'll take a look at the littlest, first! Alfred's going to love the show!" I said, gleefully watching as Virginia's face paled in horror. "I-If... If you touch Georgia, I'll kill you!" he said, trying to sound brave. I sighed and wagged a finger at him before grabbing his hair and twisting it, keeping my eyes on the road. He held back a gasp of pain, his eyes watering delightfully. I couldn't wait to make him _scream!_

"Actually, I was going to play with Rhode Island first! He's the physical youngest out of all of you! What a runt!" I laughed, my grip on Virginia's scalp tightening. He let a single tear run down his cheek and he gritted his teeth, looking as if he was trying not to attack me. I chuckled and kept my grip firm, occasionally feeling a small trickle of blood on my fingers. I shivered, remembering how pleasing blood felt on my fingers, whether it was my own or someone else. This was going to be amazing.


	25. XXIV

America's POV:  
I came home to a wrecked house, no colonies, and panicking states. Prussia and Denmark had come with me, thank goodness, and we managed to settle them all down. I searched around wildly, calling the colonies by name. They couldn't have just disappeared!

"Alfred, you got a message on your phone," Denmark said, the solemn look on his usually happy face so unnerving. Hesitantly taking the phone out of Denmark's hands, I unlocked it to see I had a new message from Canada. I stiffened, feeling uneasy as I opened the message. My eyes widened in horror and I tried not to scream. All of the colonies except Virginia and Maryland were in a picture. They were all slumped against a wall, some of them bleeding from the head. Below the picture read: **If you like them alive, do what I say. We wouldn't want them hurt, would we?** My face paled and I hurriedly typed back.

America: **Matthew, don't do this. Tell me what you want, and I'll do it. Just don't hurt them.** My hands shook as I typed, and my breathing was becoming more and more heavy. A pain in my chest made me gasp and I groaned, falling to my knees and gritting my teeth. It was where my heart should be, and I could feel the usual rapid heartbeat us nations had begin to slow, and tears welled up in my eyes. Washington D.C. was dead. The colonies were captured. What was I going to do?! I fell to my knees, my vision becoming framed with red as I was filled with rage. My phone dinged and I opened the message, my hands shaking with desperation.

 **Matthew: Hmm... I think I'll have some fun before I give them back. I wouldn't want all this fresh meat to go to waste!**


	26. XXV

Rhode Island's POV:

I woke up, shaking my head and sitting up groggily. It was too dark to see, but I could tell that my hands were tied behind my back. The air held a strange metallic scent, like blood or stale water. As I slowly began to recall what had happened, the former unfortunately seemed like the more likely answer. As far as I could see I was alone, something that both frightened me and made me feel relieved. Frightened because I hated being alone and had no idea what the fate of my siblings was, and relieved that I wasn't in the same room as... _him. Canada._

I couldn't even think about _him_ without shuddering in fear. I wondered what he was going to do with me. Would he just keep me locked up in here? Would he torture me? Would he kill me? And gosh, what was Alfred thinking? If it was still the same day as when I was kidnapped, he'd be coming home from the hospital. Did he know we were gone? And if he did, did He care?

Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized he probably wouldn't care what was happening. I was one of the oldest states, and yet, because of my land's size, I was merely nine years old, physically. I was a runt, a freak compared to my other siblings. Alfred had probably decided that in my case, everyone would be better off if Canada got ahold of me. I. Meant. Nothing.

Now do you see why I hate being alone? My mind tortures me endlessly.

I tried to push those thoughts aside, but they kept resurfacing, and new ones began to join them. The question of whether or not Canada would torture me soon became how would he torture me. Would it be physical or psychological, and would I be able to endure it? After having his fun would he have mercy and kill me? Or would he torture me to insanity? And there was a third option, but it seemed unlikely. Would he ever let me go?I nearly laughed but quickly stopped when I remembered where I was.

Footsteps sounded from somewhere in the darkness. They echoed off the walls of my confinement, and were accompanied by the beam of a flashlight. It had to be Canada. I pressed against the wall despite its slimy and wet feel, wanting to squeeze my eyes shut,but I was afraid of the illusions my mind would conjure up for me so I reluctantly kept them closed. A deep chuckle sent chills down my spine, and the figure stopped before me. I could faintly see the glow of two crimson red eyes, floating in the darkness ahead of me.

I screamed, startling the man in front of me and myself. As the figure bent down the crazdd face of Canada became visibls, and my second scream was muffled by his pale hand sealing itself over my mouth. I thrashed and kicked as Canada grinned to show two rows of razor sharp teeth. Had they been there before?! Had his eyes been red before?! Canada bent down so our noses were almost touching, giving me a clear look at his face. It was white as a sheet, and his eyes were indeed glowing and red, sinking deep into their sockets. His hair was greasy, long, and hung around his face in strings. The curl, that horrible curl, was contorted and twisted so badly it looked like a knot.

"Hush little one, it's time to play!"


	27. XXVI

North Carolina's POV:

I could hear the screams of one of my brothers from the dark cell that I inhabited. I curled up tighter, hugging my knees to my chest as best as I could with the cuffs that held them in a vice like grip. Trying to keep my breathing controlled, I tilted my head back and closed my golden brown eyes, hoping I could calm myself.

This was the first time I'd ever been alone. The screams of my brother and the isolation were slowly starting to give me a sense of horror, the kind you get when you've been trapped in the dark for a long time. The smell of fresh blood had begun to waft toward my cell and I gagged silently, no sound coming out due to my inability to speak.

The screams had stopped. I perked up slightly as footsteps thundered towards my cell, but I shrank back when I heard the whimpers and the dragging of chains that accompanied them. I buried my head in my knees, fighting back tears and shaking violently as I started to fear the worst.

 _Thomas, wherever you are, I'm so sorry for everything I ever did to you,_ I thought, silently addressing my sort of twin, South Carolina. I missed him... The door to my prison opened with a loud creak and a tall man dressed all in black entered. Something he held at his side was steadily dripping with a dark liquid, and the smell of blood once again filled my nostrils. I whimpered as the figure let out a deep laugh, a laugh I faintly recognized as that of America's younger brother... Canada. All I could see of his face were two deep, glowing red eyes.

"It's your turn, dumby. Lets see if I can get that voice of yours working and make you scream!"


	28. XXVII

Canada's POV:

I was so disappointed when I couldn't even get one little scream out of that North Carolina brat, but I was still satisfied with the work I had accomplished on him. I smiled as he laid before me in a crumpled heap, twitching slightly and moaning silently with pain. Blood decorated the walls and floors like pretty crimson paint and he himself was covered with it. North Carolina whimpered softly as I pulled the knife sticking out of his ribs and gave him a soft pat on the head.

"Well, wasn't that fun? We should definitely do that again soon!" I said with a giggle. I snickered as North Carolina curled up as best as he could, tears beginning to stream down his face. Sighing, I quickly walked out of the room and began to contemplate who I should have fun with next. Virginia had been quite the little brat almost the entire car ride, and I couldn't wait to shut him up, but I was sad that the fun was over with North Carolina...

I grinned widely as I finally decided on my next victim. North Carolina would still be able to be played with, and I could have some fun with a new person. I walked briskly down the dimly lit halls to the cell located farthest away from North Carolina's, the smirk on my face widening slowly. The door creaked open as I stepped inside, and I gave South Carolina a wicked grin as he looked up at me defiantly, shaking a bit with fear and trying to look as brave as he could. I tsked and grabbed him by the hair, making his gasp, and I giggled softly.

"This is going to be so much fun! I hope your brother enjoys the show!"


	29. XXVIII

Virginia's POV:

I watched with wide eyes as Canada brought in each of my siblings one by one, tormenting them, snapping a pick, torturing them some more, and then leaving them lying in the middle of the floor before going to get his next victim. Eleven bodies littered the floor, barely moving and whimpering in pain. New York was clinging to New Jersey as if his life depended on it and was trying to crawl away.

"Ah, finally, it's time for the finale!" Canada giggled, skipping over to me and loosening the cuffs restraining my wrists and suspending me in the air. I collapsed to the ground, coughing up blood and groaning as Canada grabbed me by the hair and grinned. Tears welled up in my eyes and I closed them, hoping my screams wouldn't be loud enough to awaken my brothers and sisters.

 _Please, Alfred, help us..._

2p America's POV:

I stumbled into America's mansion, carrying Washington D.C.'s dead body in my arms. Maryland followed slowly behind me, looking at the unmowed grass and the complete disarray that greeted us inside of the house. My blood ran cold as I spotted America asleep on the couch, Denmark and Prussia snoring beside him. America had clear tear tracks on his face and his arms had been recently bandaged.

"A-Alfred," I choked softly, my arms shaking both from D.C.'s weight and terror. If America thought I'd killed D.C., Maryland would back me up. Right? America's eyes shot open at the mention of his name and he grabbed a gun from under the couch cushions, pointing it at me with wild eyes and trembling hands.

"Alfred, it's okay!" Maryland cried, quickly stepping in front of me and holding his hands out, his palms up, in a gesture of openness and surrender. America's eyes narrowed, he lowered the gun, and then he saw D.C. His eyes widened again and he stumbled backwards, almost falling on top of Denmark where he slept on the couch. The passed out Dane didn't notice, and merely turned over with a soft mutter.

"No... No, he can't be..." America's voice trailed off and he closed his eyes, burying his head in his hands and sobbing. I clutched D.C.'s body, staring at my counterpart with a sympathetic and pained gaze. I knew how he felt. I'd been through the same thing remember, and now Alfred was, after everything he had been going through lately was too. I gently rested D.C. in America's arms when he calmed down a bit and he gingerly placed him on an empty couch.

"Where are the others?" Maryland asked, looking around the eerily quiet house. My stomach plummeted and America's gaze grew stormy.

"It's a long story."


End file.
